This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 2001-079388, filed Mar. 19, 2001; No. 2001-081619, filed Mar. 21, 2001; and No. 2002-025986, filed Feb. 1, 2002, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a silver halide color photographic material. More particularly, the present invention relates to a silver halide color reversal photographic material of enhanced color faithfulness.
2. Description of the Related Art
The appreciation of images photographed by a color reversal can be accomplished by various methods, for example, direct appreciation through transmission, projection using a projector, a color print and printing. The images are often used as an original for various print productions including printing because positive images of high quality can be obtained. From the viewpoint of an original for printing, it is expected that the images photographed by a color reversal not only have a high image quality which can be equal to expansion but also can be a color proof as a substitute for real subject. When the function as a color proof is taken into account, it is naturally required for the images photographed by a color reversal to faithfully reproduce, for example, a subject hue. However, conventional color reversal films have not necessarily fully satisfied this requirement.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. (hereinafter referred to as JP-A-) 61-34541 discloses a color photographic material which has interimage effects and a specified spectral sensitivity capable of realizing a faithful color reproduction. JP-A""s-9-5912 and 9-211812 disclose methods of amplifying interimage effects by the use of a nonlightsensitive silver iodide. However, all the methods according to these inventions, although an improvement of faithful color reproduction can be recognized, have been unsatisfactory from the viewpoint of practical use. Moreover, JP-A""s-54-118245, 62-136649, 1-66644 and 2-272540 disclose color photographic materials having an emulsion layer which substantially does not contribute to color dye formation and imparts interimage effects. However, these inventions also, although being effective in improving color reproduction, have been unsatisfactory from the viewpoint of practical use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a silver halide color reversal photographic material which has been strengthened with respect to interimage effects and which is excellent in color reproduction.
The object of the present invention has been attained by the following means.
(1) A silver halide color reversal photographic material comprising, on a support, at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a yellow-forming coupler, at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a magenta-forming coupler and at least one red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a cyan-forming coupler, wherein the material comprises a layer capable of imparting interimage effects which comprises a lightsensitive silver halide emulsion comprising silver halide grains satisfying the following conditions (i) to (iii).
(i) The silver halide grains have an average silver iodide content of more than 6 to 39 mol %.
(ii) Grains occupying 60% or more of a projected area of all the silver halide grains are those of triple or greater multiplicity structure having at least one layer of high silver iodide content, the silver iodide content being 8 mol % or more, which layer of high silver iodide content is one formed using silver in an amount of 15 to 80 mol % based on that used in obtaining final grains.
(iii) All the silver halide grains have surfaces having an average silver iodide content of 10 mol % or less.
(2) The silver halide color reversal photographic material according to item (1) above, wherein the lightsensitive silver halide emulsion comprises silver halide grains satisfying not only the above conditions (i) to (iii) but also the following conditions (iv) and (v).
(iv) All the silver halide grains have equivalent circle diameters whose variation coefficient is 40% or less.
(v) The grains occupying 60% or more of a projected area of all the silver halide grains are tabular grains of quintuple or greater multiplicity structure wherein, with respect to a silver iodide distribution thereof, there are at least two maximums in zones extending from a grain center to grain side, a first maximum of said at least two maximums is in the range of 1 to 40% of the total silver amount which silver amount counting from the grain center to grain sides, while a second maximum of said at least two maximums is in the range of 50 to 85% of the total silver amount which silver amount counting from the grain center to grain sides.
(3) The silver halide color reversal photographic material according to item (1) or (2) above, wherein the lightsensitive silver halide emulsion has a spectral sensitivity distribution whose weight-average sensitivity wavelength xcexi is positioned intermediate between respective spectral sensitivity distribution weight-average wavelengths xcexb and xcexg of the blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and the green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, and wherein the lightsensitive silver halide emulsion is spectrally sensitized so as to simultaneously satisfy the following relationships of formulae (1) and (2).
490 nmxe2x89xa6xcexixe2x89xa6560 nmxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
xe2x80x83wherein xcexi represents the weight-averaged wavelength (nm) of spectral sensitivity distribution of the lightsensitive silver halide emulsion.
xcexgxe2x89xa6xcexi+10xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
xe2x80x83wherein xcexg represents the weight-averaged wavelength (nm) of spectral sensitivity distribution of the green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer.
(4) The silver halide color reversal photographic material according to any of items (1) to (3) above, wherein the interimage effects imparting layer substantially does not contribute to formation of dye images.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.